Kathy introduced me to dilly beans from a farm in New Hampshire – how I’ve lived this long without knowing how good pickled green beans out of a jar could be will remain a mystery, but I’m now officially hooked. Her daughter bought them for her as a present, and yet there I was, eating half the jar because I couldn’t get enough of their sweet, hot, garlicky flavor.

I made a batch, only with asparagus, right when I got home from New York. When I packaged them up to put them in the fridge, our conversation went like this:

HIM: Those aren’t going to be a success. (He used the word “success.”)

ME: No? Why not?

HIM: They look like a science project gone wrong. Like they’re in formaldehyde.

ME: You’re wrong.

Then, later, when he realized he was about to leave for a week, he tried to redeem himself:

HIM: Boy, I can’t wait until those asparagus are done. They’re going to be so good.

Combine all the ingredients in a large skillet. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook 2 minutes, turning the asparagus frequently. Remove from heat. Carefully transfer the spears to the jar, tips up, then add the liquid. Add as much water a necessary to top off the jar with liquid. Cool the asparagus to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Let sit 24 to 48 hours, and enjoy.